Barriers to Accessing Treatment for Obesity

Dr Georgia Rigas, one of our resident GP’s and a very experienced bariatric practitioner, recently attended the Obesity Summit Australia 2018. Dr Rigas is Chair of the RACGP Obesity Management Specific Interests network and represented Australia’s GP’s at the summit. Let’s hear what Georgia had to say on the topic of treatment for obesity:

‘Obesity is a chronic, progressive health condition, not a lack of willpower,’ she said.

‘Where we are today with obesity is where we were 30 years ago with depression, when the condition was considered to be the person’s responsibility and was often not spoken about. But with a better understanding of the science behind moderate-severe depression, we know that a person cannot will herself or himself better.’

‘Similarly, telling someone with severe obesity to “eat less and exercise more” as the only strategy is like telling someone with severe depression “cheer up” – we know it simply won’t be enough, they need more help and support.’

Currently two thirds of Australian adults are overweight or obese, alongside one quarter of children. This puts Australia as one of the top countries that have found themselves in the midst of an obesity crisis. But how did it get this far? And what is being done to ensure that things get better, not worse?

‘With such alarming statistics we can comfortably say that what we have been doing as individuals, communities, healthcare professionals, organisations and government bodies, is clearly not enough.

Dr Rigas believes that there are three main barriers to accessing treatment for obesity here in Australia. Everyone with a weight problem will be aware of the stigma and “double standards” that mean that their weight problem is not given the same respect and consideration as other serious medical conditions.

Health Care Professionals – lack of knowledge on the subject.

• Many health care professionals such as GP’s, surgeons, doctors, nurses, are unaware that body weight is regulated by the hypothalamus, which is NOT under voluntary control.
• Health care professionals may not be aware of the link between obesity and other obesity related illnesses such as Type 2 Diabetes, joint pain, sleep apnea.
• Discussing a patient’s weight can be a sensitive topic, which not all health care professionals may be comfortable discussing with the patient. Shifting the conversation from one of weight to one of health would make this easier for them.
• Prejudice because of personally held beliefs often shaped by personal experiences, managing their own weight for example. In this way they are behaving like “Instagram influencers” saying look at my wonderful life, if you only did what I do you will be like me! This fails to consider our genetic differences. It would be just as easy for me to grow taller than it is for someone to chance their genetically determined risk for weight gain.

Patient Factors

• Some patients may choose not to seek help as they feel shame or guilt about their condition, this impression is reinforced by years of criticism and unhelpful suggestions by others.
• They may think that it is their own fault because they are unaware of the science behind obesity.

Society

• The correct and science based message about Obesity hasn’t been picked by Media, Government and our Hospitals. Society opinion is shaped by these institutions so is understandable that the general public also don’t understand obesity is a disease like any other.
• Society has a stigma of shame and discrimination towards obese people, often being reflected in the education sector and within the workforce. In the past it was felt quite reasonable to discriminate because of race, religion or gender, and while we have made tremendous headway in these areas, Obesity stigma remains unchallenged.
• There is lack of awareness that that obese people don’t have access to medical and surgical treatments unless it is privately funded.

Although there isn’t a ‘magic wand’ that can make the above stigmas disappear overnight, Dr Rigas and other bariatric health care practitioners are slowly chipping away where they can. For example, Dr Rigas and other members of Australia’s Obesity Collective spend time educating health care professionals on the science behind obesity and why is needs to be treated like every other chronic disease.

If you are considering weight loss treatment for yourself or a loved one and would like to know more we have lots of information available on our website, such as PDF leaflets that you can download. Or alternatively contact us online or call our office on 02 9553 1120 to book an appointment.